Understanding Workplace Etiquette

WORDS:: Chyka Keebaugh

PHOTOS:: Lisa Atkinson

Work etiquette is a whole other can of worms! The do’s and dont’s in an office environment can be a minefield and so it should be!

There are plenty of do’s and dont’s when it comes to the way you act within your workplace. It comes down to basic manners and the fact that you are there for a reason. Not to be social (well not always) and to get your work done, so get yourself in the right frame of mind before you even step in the door, and you will start your days off on the right foot. The productive foot!

Dressing appropriately for work

Not every work place has a dress code, but I think we all have collections of clothing that are 'work only'. Specific clothing varies from profession to profession, so be wary of what your associates are wearing and follow suit. You will not lose your personality or fade into the crowd if you wear a suit every day but you will stand out if you wear denim jeans and a T-shirt in the office when you should be in corporate attire.

Secondly you are a working professional, you should not be spending half the day staring at your phone. One of the most time-consuming parts of an office day is tending to emails. Keeping an air of professionalism when replying, forwarding and writing are something that should be at the forefront of your mind. A few simple tips can keep you on track…

SOCIAL MEDIA 101

Like it or not, social media has taken over our lives. You can avoid it as much as you like, but it will creep into your life if you let it; the trick is to not let it take over! Being an overly chatty social person; I love social media! I regularly update my Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest pages (PS. Are you following me??) but there are some etiquette rules that we all need to be aware of, and I think this is one area we all need to be taking very seriously.

Another thing we need to be aware of is when and where to be jumping on social media. Yes, I know that's up to the individual but to keep everyone happy I think we should all adhere to a few rules and be respectful of the time spent with others around us. For me, I cannot stand someone checking their text messages whilst sitting at the dinner table but I don’t mind someone taking photos of their meals - see it gets a little tricky doesn’t it?